Change You Can Flush Down The Memory Hole

Greg Pollowitz of the Media Blog notes that newly controversial Father Pfleger has disappeared from the testimonials at Obama's website.  And here is a report of a $100,000 earmark by Obama for Pfleger's church.

JUST GUESSING OUT LOUD HERE:  Jim Geraghty includes a partial transcript of Pfleger's remarks, which included this:

I must now to address the one who says, 'don't hold me responsible for what my ancestors did.' But you have enjoyed the benefits of what your ancestors did! And unless you are ready to give up the benefits — Throw away your 401 fund! [sic] Throw away your trust fund! Throw away all the money that been put away in the company you walked into 'cause your daddy and your granddaddy and your great grandaddy —

(screaming at the top of his lungs)

Unless you are willing to give up the benefits, then you must be responsible for what was done in your generation! 'Cause you are the beneficiary of this insurance policy!

Is it possible that this attitude that all white people are wealthy and have trust funds is limiting the appeal of the Obama campaign to working class whites?  Hmm, who else do we know from Team Obama that is constantly whining about her lack of a trust fund?  Let's hear from the Sister Grim:

[Michelle Obama] also said that if it were not for her husband's two bestselling books, they both would still be paying off their college debt, even though they are beginning to save for their daughters' college funds. Mrs. Obama jokingly said that she's still hoping for Mr. Obama's trust fund to kick in.

"Maybe we've got some coming from cousin Cheney," she said remarking on the recent discovery that Mrs. Obama and Vice President Dick Cheney are eighth cousins.

Oh, I was snide at the time:

There she goes again, wanting a hand-out form the rich white folk. When will she shed her plantation mentality?  And when will she notice that no one gave Dick Cheney a trust fund - his dad was a "soil conservation agent" for the USDA and Dick flunked out of Yale before getting a degree at the University of Wyoming.  Maybe history would be different if Yale had offered supplemental classes for hicks from the sticks, as Princeton later did to marginally qualified minorities.

PUZZLES TO PONDER:  How many Americans in reality (as distinct from the Pfleger/Obama fantasy world) have trust funds?  A quick bit of googling turned up this:

Source of Wealth: Researchers have found that only 15% of HNWIs [High Net Worth Individuals] became wealthy primarily because of inheritance/trust funds, though almost half received some inheritance. The wealthy are now more likely to be self-made, most commonly through, entrepreneurial interests, small-business ownership, investments, or earned income.

I also see this:

The U.S. Wealth Market:

274         Billionaires
350,000     $10,000 +
590,000     Penta-millionaires or super high-net-worth
2,360,000   High-net-worth ($1 million +)
19,000,000  Mass Affluent ($100k +)

Comments

[centralcal]

I followed a link on another of the threads here to TalkLeft comments. I particularly enjoyed this:

"For how much of her adult life has Michelle been proud of her church?"

I also agree that sooner or later it will need to be asked.

[kim]

cc, p. luk., again. That boy's getting exposure. I've not much enjoyed my interactions with him, but most of them have been on his playgrounds. Vicious, partisan, bully is my evaluation. I'd like to re-visit Belgravia Dispatch of a year ago with him to check predictions. I was pumping up the Anbar Awakening to universal derision.
====================================

[kim]

Here, his vicious, partisan, bullying is in the service of Hillary against Obama, so it seems like the clear voice of reason spreading sweetness and light all around.
=============================

[J.R.]

How many people will actually absorb and believe Mrs. Obama when she speaks of their financial woes? Do the Obamas really want to make this an issue? Or does she really think a majority of the American public will buy the one-missed mortgage payment away from chapter 11 schtick from a sitting US Senator and a hospital administrator pulling down over 300 thousand plus a year alone!

Well I guess it's OK for her to say because according to Obama I'm out of line for attacking his wife. Even as she insults our intelligence.

[centralcal]

Kim - I didn't even pay attention that it was p.luk.

Yes, I remember him posting here - pfeh.

Still, it is a damned good question, that I hope gets asked this fall during the general.

[Paul Zrimsek]

How so I get an ancestor to contribute to my 401(k)? Currently, the bastards I work for insist on taking the money out of my paycheck.

If I did have a trust fund, mind you, I'd be clinging to it. Bitterly.

[Danube of Thought]

"That boy's getting exposure." Who are you talking about, Kim?

[Appalled]

I have had some tangles (debates) with p. luk before (over at Belgravia Dispatch -- which -- alas -- is on hiatus, kim). He's in the same category I'd put clarice in -- a very tough partisan who usually has some evidence for what he/she says. Tangling with him is usually intellectually stimulating, but you can get beat up if you're not careful.

[Pofarmer]

I was affluent? I never knew.

[kim]

Yeah, he's not stupid, Appalled, but let the archives show who beat up whom.
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[PeterUK]

I see he gives a pass to those married the money.

[Neo]

So where were the "People for the American Way" and the church/state groups when a church got a $100,000 earmark. I guess this is Obama's idea of "faith-based" .. wonder if the KosKids know.

[MikeS]

In all the instances where Obama has been show to associate with scumbags, my biggest disappointment is that he failed to heal any of their souls.

[MikeS]

** shown **

[MayBee]

also said that if it were not for her husband's two bestselling books, they both would still be paying off their college debt,

Here's what I don't get about her. (ok, one thing I don't get about her)

Her husband consistently groups people in their (pre-book windfall) income bracket as wealthy Americans.
*They* were struggling to pay off that debt while they made $250,000/year. But under a Barack Obama presidency, people making that much will be paying higher taxes.

Also, she constantly complains about the burdens of their student loans at the same time she proudly points out they could have made more money with their level of education, but chose not to.

So the Obamas wasted their money on over educating themselves, struggled to pay their bills, and now want to start taxing people that make the kind of money they themselves struggle making ends meet with- while trying to convince people to take jobs that pay less but help society.

Sensible.

[Neo]

Pfleger warned about pulpit politics. Pfleger stepped down from "Catholics for Obama."

I feel better now. NOT.

Obama does have a "men of bad faith" problem.

What's next ? A raving rabbi ? A imperfect imam ? A divided Branch Davidian ? An unscientific Church of Scientology member ?

[Neo]

Maybe a lost Sikh ? A brooding Buddhist ?

[MayBee]

http://old.saintsabina.org/>David Axelrod sat/sits on the board of St. Sabina's "raise the roof" foundation. Mayor Daley is co-chair with Pfleger.

[Neo]

Lastly, an Ebonics speaking salamander ?

[MayBee]

Obama's criticism of Pfleger:

Obama, in a statement, said, ''As I have traveled this country, I've been impressed not by what divides us, but by all that unites us. That is why I am deeply disappointed in Father Pfleger's divisive, backward-looking rhetoric, which doesn't reflect the country I see or the desire of people across America to come together in common cause.''

Does anybody else read this as a new revelation for Obama?
Now that he is finally traveling around the country, and away from his racist cheering church friends and flag-stomping neighbors, he sees that the American people are actually kinda nice.

[J. Peden]

Does anybody else read this as a new revelation for Obama?

Yeah, but I don't think Obama quite realized what he was saying/implying - again: at best, more backfiring pap which examples his own intellectual vacuousness - again.

[JM Hanes]

Is "poor mouthing" just a southern expression? That's what we'd say Michelle Obama is doing, and -- oddly enough! -- it's something the makes hard working rural types turn up their noses in disgust.

[PeterUK]

The High Priest of Huitzilopochtli would be appropriate.

[Neo]

Does anybody else read this as a new revelation for Obama?

Yeah, but where does this leave his notion of "Change" or "Hope" ?

The folks at Trinity UCC are caught up in a "time warp' that leaves their America stuck some time around 1960. The "fellowship" with Louis Farrakhan and his clan seem to back up this idea, as much of Islam is stuck in the 6th century, making Trinity look like positively modern.

Radicals like Father Pfleger and Ayers must find the 60's atmosphere at Trinity like reliving the glory days of the "Summer of Love." I bet if they could unearth the bones of LBJ it would make the day complete.

Meanwhile, Obama finally catches up on the developments of the last 45 years and gleans the idea, that has been obvious to those of us that actually lived during the past 45 years, that there has been "Hope" and "Change" that seems to have gone unreported in his universe.

[Cecil Turner]

This also brings up a parallel to the whole "Obama is a Muslim" argument. I don't know what to call it, exactly, but the racist intolerance present in Farrakhan/Wright/Pfleger's sermons--and the implicit call to action that could easily be interpreted as justifying violence against the US/Christians/"whitey"--makes any adherent questionable as Commander in Chief. (Just as David Duke, Senator Byrd, or any other KKK member would be.) That question is intensified during a conflict with Islamic radicals; and Obama's various statements do very little to restore confidence.

[Jane]

Is "poor mouthing" just a southern expression?

No.

[dking70]

I can't wait to pay for reparations.

[Crunchy Frog]

We're fresh out of divided Branch Davidians, but we do have some burnt to a crisp. Will that work?

[Neo]

Why is it that I'm beginning to see life imitating art ?

Cast Obama as "Being There" character, Chance Gardner.

[SunnyDay]

I think they need to sabotage BHO. IF he were to become prez, their jig would be up.

[bgates]

MayBee - I think he must have form letters for these press releases.

As I have traveled this country, I've been impressed not by what divides us, but by all that unites us. That is why I am deeply disappointed in __________'s divisive, backward-looking rhetoric, which doesn't reflect the country I see or the desire of people across America to come together in common cause.
I was not aware of these kinds of statements during my time at
[]Trinity United Church of Christ
[]The Congressional Black Caucus
[]Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's house
Now that I have reaffirmed my position on this issue, I invite my opponent to return to a debate on the issues facing America, such as what to do about the fact that indisputably Iran (is/is not) a threat.